Ways for Governments to Help Their Citizens to Quit Smoking

It is almost impossible for any country to ban cigarette smoking completely due to the existing addiction and high revenue collection through tax. If the law were to be imposed, there would probably be rioting and some deadly addicts might even collapse; moreover, it would be too great a loss of income to develop the country.

There are however many ways for governments to help their citizens to quit smoking:

Increase tax
Increment in tax would force cigarette companies to increase the selling price of the cigarettes as well. Therefore, it will help to reduce the number of cigarette consumption. Moreover, it will increase the revenue of the country as well.

Increase legal age for smoking
The youths are easier to be influenced in the wrong way. Therefore, it is important to house them away from the bad influence while they are still immature to think. This will prevent more people from taking up the bad habit from young.

Raise penalties
Many countries have imposed laws, such as banning of underage people from smoking and banning of smoking in prohibited places. Many smokers, however, are not intimated by the existing punishments, and therefore they decide to try their luck. If penalties are increased, fewer smokers would try to take on the laws.

Enforce laws Governments have imposed laws but it is difficult to maintain the laws. Many smokers continue to smoke in public toilets and even schools because they know it is difficult to be caught. Another issue governments are concern about is regarding contraband cigarette. An example can be found in Asiaone.com.

Restrict smoking areas
By restricting places which smokers can smoke at, it does not only help to prevent them from smoking more since it takes more efforts in order to smoke, but also ensure that the non-smokers will not be badly affected. Some smokers may be against this idea and feel unfair to them, however, this group of people are in fact selfish, for they rather put their happiness in others’ discomfort and health risk.

Restrict legal age of purchasing cigarette
Smokers may ask young people to purchase cigarette for them. It happens often to parents who smoke, for the sake of convenience’s sake, asking their young children to buy cigarette for them. By getting cigarettes at young age, it will give this group of young people wrong impression.

Random check on cigarette sellers
Businessmen are often strike by their greed and they sell cigarette to underage people, thinking that it is difficult for the government to catch them. Some sellers are lazy to make their buyers to produce their identification cards to verify their ages. The government can get underage people to pretend purchasing cigarette in order to catch those unlawful businessmen. This will reduce the problem with underage smoking since it is harder for the young people to purchase cigarette.

Ban smoking advertisements
Advertisements for cigarette companies should be banned in order not to give the citizens a wrong impression that smoking is cool or hot. Advertising may come in the form of television advertisement, sponsorship or even cigarette model.

Graphics and warning on cigarette packets
Visual aid on the packaging of cigarette can help to remind smokers that smoking is bad for health. Photos of damaged lungs and yellowish teeth are good.

Educate the citizens
Public education is one of the most effective methods against smoking. Prevent is always better than cure. As many youngsters are rebellious, all sorts of law enforcements are useless to them. By teaching them about how to cherish their health, it can be more effective than forcing them to quit smoking.